Method and machine for treating sheet metal



Oct. 9, 1934. A. M. H. HARTMANN 1,975,846

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR TREATING SHEET METAL Filed June 11, 1950 0 in. i'l.'

l r U T? I l l I l l l l I l I 1 l i J I N VEN TOR. ALEXANDER MHHAETMANN.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Dot. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE METHOD AND MACHINE FOR TREATING SHEET METAL sylvania Application June 11, 1930, Serial No. 460,384

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a method and machine for treating metal sheets, the machine being generally of the type shown in the patent to G. L. Kelly et a1., Patent #1,649,706, issued Nov. 15th, 1927.

Machines of this type consist generally in a series of staggered rolls adapted to receive therebetween the sheet metal to be worked together with a movable brake roll, movable transversely of path of the sheet extending between the rolls, for giving said sheet an initial loop bend. Under certain conditions, where it is desired to give the sheet metal a very sharp initial bend, a two inch brake roll may be substituted for the ordinary four inch roll. However, it has been found that where this substitution is made, considerable difficulty is encountered due to the flexibility of the roll of smaller diameter and due to its inability to withstand the stress exerted by the I material stretched between the pinch rolls.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate this difficulty by providing a means for supporting the brake roll in such a manner that it may withstand the heavy stress exerted by the I sheet material between the rolls.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a means for aiding the brake roll to withstand heavy stresses, which means may be effected without alteration of any of the parts of the machine other than the movable parts of the brake roll assembly.

Other objects of the invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated will become more readily apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood and the invention consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying single sheet of drawings in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view taken longitudinally through the brake roll mechanism and its support.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

In both of the above described views, like characters of reference are employed to designate like parts throughout, and the frame of the machine is designated at 10. This frame comprises one of the side frames of the machine. The other side frame (not shown) occupies a similar posi tion on the other side of the machine and cooperates with other elements of the machine in the same manner as frame 10. Both sides of the brake roller mechanism being substantially the same, the description in this specification is limited to a description of only one set of elements.

Slidably mounted within the guide 11 is a vertically slidable frame 12 which frame is provided with a recess 13, adapted to have mounted therein a ball bearing assembly 14 for supporting one end of the brake roll 15, this brake roll being suspended from the recess 13 in the frame 12 and from a similar recess in the corresponding frame on theother side of the machine.

The frame 12 is provided with a transverse bore 20, which is threaded interiorly and is adapted to threadedly receive one end of a pin 29 on a cross-head assembly designated in its entirety by the reference numeral 22. This cross-head assembly comprises a casting 24, removably secured by means of screws 26, to an enlarged head 28 on the cross-head pin 29. The cross-head pin which is threadedly receivable in the frame 12 is adapted to be secured therein against rotation by means of a slot and key connection 32. The cross-head pin 29 is provided with a bushing 34 around whichis journaled one end of a connecting rod 36, connected to a rocker arm (not shown) for reciprocating the cross-head.

The cross-head casting 24 is provided with a pair of integral medial supporting flanges 38, having an appearance similar to that of an ordinary corner shelf bracket. These flanges 38 are parallel to each other and terminate flush with the top of the cross-head. The flanges are adapted to support thereon a roller hearing assembly, designated in its entirety at 50, by means of cap screws 52, threadedly receivable in sockets 53 in these flanges, which cap screws extend through the base 54 of the roller bearing assembly 50. While this assembly may be formed in any suitable manner, the same is preferably of a standard self-aligning type, having two spaced sets of bearing members 52 and 54, each set supporting there-between a roller adapted to bear against the underneath side of the roller 15 to support the same.

While a single roller bearing assembly has been shown in the accompanying drawing, it is within the spirit of the present invention to employ two or more of these assemblies for supporting the roll 15, which assemblies may be spaced along the cross-head member and secured thereto in a manner similar tothe method of securing the assembly shown.

It will be seen then, that as the slidable frame 12 reciprocates, the brake roller 15, together with its supporting assemblies, moves as a unit, and thus the brake roller is prevented from sagging under the stress imparted thereto by the tension 01' the sheet material between the pinch rolls.

The invention is not to be limited to the exact arrangement oi. parts shown in the accompanying drawing and described in this specification as various changes in the details of construction thereof are contemplated. Only in-so-Iar as the invention is particularly pointed out in the accompanying claims, is the same to be limited.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with a roller leveler machine. a-pair of slidable blocks having a roller joumaled therebetween, a cross-head pin secured to one of said blocks, a connecting rod journaled on said pin for reciprocating said blocks, a rigid cross-head member removably secured to said pin and a roller bearing assembly mounted on said cross-head bearing against said roller medially to support the same against deformation, said cross-head assembly and bearing being bodily movable with said roller.

2. In a roller leveler machine having spaced pairs of feed rolls of relatively large diameter and an intermediate stressing roll of relatively very small diameter arranged to deflect and plastically stress sheet material between said spaced pairs of feed rolls of relatively large diameter, together with intermediate roller supports for said stressing roll of relatively small diameter.

3. The method of treating sheet material which consists in feeding said material through the machine by rolls of relatively large diameter but stressing it intermediate the feed rolls by deflecting it over a roll of relatively small diameter, the while backing up said small diameter roll intermediate its ends on the side opposite the side engaging the sheet to avoid injurious deflection of said roll.

4. A machine of the class described having spaced pairs of feed rolls of relatively large diameter, and an intermediate stressing roll of relatively small diameter arranged to deflect and plastically stress sheet material between said spaced pairs of feed rolls, together with a backing-up device on the side of said intermediate roll opposite the side thereof engaging the sheet material and having means engaging the intermediate roll between its ends, whereby injurious deflection of said small diameter roll is avoided.

ALEXANDER M. H. HARTMANN. 

